Apocalypsis 03 - Exodus

people who worked there, to go to the dinner meeting. Everything was riding on this moment, even more so than I probably realized, but I didn’t let myself think about the what-ifs and the whys. I just needed to get through tonight and the next couple days so I could go after Bodo. Nothing was going to stop that from happening.
    ***
    Everyone but us was already there. Torches were lit and the food was out. I walked the two newcomers over to the baskets of food and gave them a basic idea of what they were eating. I left out the part that one of the hunks of meat might be snake, deciding since it hadn’t killed any of us, they’d be fine eating it too. Maybe for fun later I’d tell them. I had a feeling that Jamal might be easy to freak out when it came to eating things that slithered.
    We ate in subdued silence, watching the others talking and joking around. This was a no-big-deal thing for them. For Ronald and Jamal it meant everything, and I totally felt for them.
    I nudged Ronald. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s all going to be okay.”
    Ronald shook his head slowly. “I’m not so sure about that. He would have sent word we could stay if that were his decision. That would have been the nice thing to do.”
    I hadn’t considered that, but I brushed off my misgivings. “No. He’s a formal guy about stuff like this. He would have wanted to announce it.”
    Ronald stopped eating and looked at me. “You sure?”
    “Yeah. I think.” I was suddenly even more stressed, feeling like I’d just vouched for an affirmative answer from the chiefs; and while I was confident they’d do the right thing, I wasn’t sure my idea of the right thing and theirs would always match up. Please let it match up tonight!
    “Just let it go, Ronnie,” said Jamal. “It is what it is. Stressing isn’t going to change anything.”
    “Yeah. I know,” Ronald mumbled, poking at his food.
    My food started to taste like sawdust. I threw my hunk of bread on the ground for Buster to eat and set the rest of my basket aside. Maybe I’ll be able to eat it later.
    Trip and Kowi arrived, not bothering to get food. They stood talking for a few minutes before splitting apart, Trip going to stand with Jeremy, and Kowi remaining center stage. He raised his hands for everyone to stop talking. My stomach started to burn.
    “I need to talk to you for a few minutes and then I’ll leave you to your dinner.”
    The talking stopped and everyone faced Kowi. Coli moved so she was just off to his left, looking every bit the proud chief’s woman. I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination or not, but she seemed to be avoiding looking at me.
    “As you probably know, we had a couple of strangers enter Kahayatle asking for safe harbor.” He looked over at Ronald and Jamal. Ronald waved and gave everyone a quavering smile. Jamal looked like he wanted to vomit.
    Kowi looked out to the group. “Trip and I have discussed it, and we’ve decided to decline their request.”
    Gasps echoed all over the hut, mine included. My heart spasmed and the pulse in my neck started hammering.
    He looked at Ronald and Jamal. “You can stay the night, but at first light, you’ll be escorted out of the swamp and given a few days’ rations of food. But if you try to come back, we will consider it an attack and react accordingly.” He moved to leave the hut, Coli walking behind him with her chin held high.
    I looked at him in shock and then over at the two boys; their expressions told me they were both terrified.
    Before Kowi got two steps, I leapt to my feet, ready to blow a gasket. “What the hell , Kowi?!”
    He stopped, but didn’t look at me and didn’t say anything.
    No one else spoke until Jamal said softly, “I told you, Ronald. We’re not wanted here either.”
    My heart nearly broke with the unfairness of it. “You can’t be serious!” I demanded. “Tell me this is a sick joke, Kowi, please .”
    Kowi sighed and turned his head to look at me. I noticed he didn’t bother to acknowledge the two people whose death sentences he was signing.
    “I am serious. Your tie breaking vote is not needed today.” He turned his head back and started walking again.
    “Well, I’m sorry to inform you that you’re going to get my vote anyway … and that’s that they be allowed to stay.” I stood with my legs spread and fists at my side. I felt a hand on my shoulder and shrugged it off.
    “Bryn, let it go,” said Paci.
    I had no idea when